Replying to LO28661 --
Hi Alan, fellow members,
Part of my role at work is in quality management. Our company is ISO
Accredited and I spend many hours leading managers back to the system as
they continually stray back to managing by the seat of their pants. They
constantly undermine their own integrity by directing differently about
the same task when asked in different ways by, sometimes, the same person.
Because the person detecting the incongruence is leader/manager (rather
than systems) oriented s/he is terribly demotivated.
And so the company guru's look for the next silver bullet. I'm certain
that the next consultant is equally as confident as the last that it is
his/her silver bullet that will do the trick. I'm also sure that they are
as frustrated (coming from the outside) as I am, that the money is usually
wasted as the next level of managment (up) carries on in the same manner
expecting his reports who have had all this money spent on them to change
their behaviour and make the business performance to improve. Again I see
the wisdom of the "top down" change approach. It is virtually hopeless
trying to implement change from somwhere midst the organisation. You are
right in my opinion Alan when you say that you can smell the
organisational management culture from out in the street (Covey says that
too) and grabbing the money and running will hollow the soul even more I
feel. Perhaps it's better to leave inauthentic and tired organisations to
die off - or you could impose tariffs to protect them - much like America
has done for their Steel Industry for example.
And how do I keep my spirits? It's something I've had to learn, I've even
listened tapes of my own voice reading positive affirmations for hours on
end - don't have to any more. I constantly steer all around me (all
levels) back to our documented systems, I rattle cages and challenge, many
say I'm "sailing close to the wind" yet in my analysis I am being
authentic not being hollow - taking the money and running. Nor am I in
favour of bureaucratic systems, however for the nature of our organisation
and the competition within it, we need to be on top of our game. Dogged
adherence to ever improving systems is the best avenue I can see that will
keep us in the game. We have to wax on - wax off, just like the Karate
kid.
We are only now (after years and millions of dollars) beginning to
question the need for more silver bullets. I'm hoping against hope that
we have come -finally- to the conclusion that salvation exist within.
Regards
Dennis.
--"Dennis Rolleston" <dennisr@ps.gen.nz>
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